Unloosen-Loosen | Commonly Confused Words

Unloosen

To make something less tight or confined, often referring to making things free or enabling movement.

I need to unloosen the knot in this rope.She tried to unloosen the jammed drawer.Unloosen the gears before starting the machine.

/ˈluːsən/

To make something less tight or more relaxed

Gently loosen the soil around the plant roots.She tried to loosen the lid with a rubber grip pad.He did exercises to loosen his tight muscles.

Both words refer to making something less tight, but loosen is more commonly used.
Unloosen might sound like it means to tighten, but it actually means the same as loosen.
You can remember this by noting that both unloosen and loosen accomplish the same result.
If youre unsure, opt for loosen' as it is clearer and more direct.
Despite their prefixes, both words function to produce the same action on objects.